Heartfelt Gratitude
by PurpleSara
Summary: Alice now must leave Wonderland, but not without expressing her thanks to the one who's stuck by her all throughout her journey. An alternate ending, because I noticed that Alice didn't express a single word of gratitude to the Hatter, who sacrificed so much for her. Manners, Alice, manners!
Alice has defeated the Jabberwocky! She's never felt such a sense of victory before in her life. She beholds the scene where the Red Queen and Knave of Hearts is banished, and smirks smugly to herself. Justice does prevail, even if it may take a while.

She watches as the Hatter dances his renowned Futterwacken dance. Just like the Hatter, it's silly and quirky and weird. But, she can't help but smile at the joy he must be feeling (and her own joy, also). Her heart suddenly swells with gratitude for what he has sacrificed on her behalf. She resolves to thank him later.

Alice is given the Jabberwocky blood, and was told what it could do. She smiled at the White Queen, and watched as she gathered with her other friends of Wonderland, all watching, gazing at her expectantly.

She holds the vial of purple liquid, staring at it. This could bring her back home. Home where Hamish was still waiting for an answer. She knew now what she was to tell him, and has thought of other tidbits to tell to various people. She knew that she must go. But first…

"You could stay," she heard a quiet, sad-sounding voice behind her.

She turned around, smiling as she saw the Hatter. Her hero. "What an idea. A crazy, mad, wonderful idea!" Alice exclaims quietly.

She has thought of staying. She could get away from the "properness" and stuffiness of London society, where everybody was supposed to behave in a "sensible" way. But she has seen what it has done to most people; made them selfish beings with no thought of the other. Here, though, she could behave how she wanted to, and was even allowed to divert from her "destined path" a little bit. Nobody cared how she acted. Here, on the White Queen's side, everybody treated everybody like they cared for each other. And she especially saw that through the Hatter. Yes, she would love to stay.

"But I can't," Alice replies with a downfallen face. She watches as the Hatter's expression also grows sad. "There are questions I have to answer. Things I have to do."

She couldn't bear to see him so sad. He, who has helped her to survive these perilous times. He, who told her she's lost her "muchness," and helped her find it again. He, her truest friend in Wonderland, and indeed probably even in London. She must express these feelings of gratitude before she leaves.

"Hatter…" Alice begins. Hatter's eyes look at her forlornly, but curiously. "Thank you," she whispers. His green eyes widen. "Ever since I came here, you've done nothing but make me feel welcome, protect me, and encourage me. My muchness has regained because of you and your perseverance and sacrifice for me and Wonderland. You are a true friend, and I cannot thank you enough."

The Hatter smiles, a slight blush grazing his cheeks. "Well, Alice, you were the foretold Champion, so I only thought it right to put your needs above mine. That is not to say that I didn't think of you as a friend, but then I wonder why you think me as a friend, since before you said that I was only a part of your imagination, that you would be half-mad to–"

"Hatter," Alice interrupted gently, a smile tugging at her lips.

The man from Underland shook his head out of his ramblings. "I'm fine," he squeaked. Then he smiled. "I suppose it would be proper to say, You're welcome. I must say though, that I was glad to do it. The moment I saw you, I knew you were The Alice, and from that moment on I decided that I would protect you with my life, so that you may save Underland. I knew you could do it, Alice."

The Champion grinned at him. Truly she was glad that she made a friend such as this, who believed in what she could do before she knew she could do it. It made her all the more sad to go.

She took a swig of the blood. The Hatter's face fell again.

"I'll be back before you know it," she reassured him. His eyes looked at her sadly, and he shook his head. "You won't remember me."

His words pierced her heart, nearly making her cry. "Of course I will! How could I forget?" she exclaimed, a steely expression on her face. Then it softened as she decided to do one last thing.

"This will make me remember you, Hatter," Alice said softly. The Hatter looked at her curiously as she moved closer to him.

Alice knew she was about to do a very _improper_ thing, and knew that if her mother knew about it, she would be a nutcase. Yet she could not stop this strange feeling in her chest. It was overflowing to the brim that she simply had to do something about it.

"Thank you, Hatter," Alice whispered again, looking up at his eyes, which looked nervous at their closeness. She put her arms around his neck and tried to crane it down. The Hatter followed her motions, his eyes widening a little.

Their lips met in a sweet, heartfelt kiss from Alice. Once she kissed him, she knew that she loved him, and that she would miss him even more.

The Hatter, shocked, quickly closed his eyes and held her close to him. He moved his lips against hers with a vibe that said, "Don't go, don't go…"

The Hatter loved Alice. Yes, it all made sense now. His actions, his words, his sacrifices. It all dawned on Alice that he also did those for love of her. Surely, this will make her remember him. Her hero, her friend, her love.

She smiled against their kiss, and let a tear escape her eye. She held onto him tightly as he did the same, their bond ever deepening, not wanting to break apart.

"Thank _you_ ," the Hatter whispered in her lips. He also had things to thank her for, but he felt like he couldn't say them now, when time was so little and precious. He hoped that his thanks was expressed in the way he kissed her, passionate yet gentle.

And then, just like that, she was gone. He still felt the phantom touch of their kiss. How he wished she could have stayed, with him… But he knew that she would come back. That kiss proved it.

Despite his sadness, the Hatter broke out into his gap-toothed grin. He looked up into the Underlandian sky, picturing Alice's beautiful face.

"Fairfarren, Alice," he whispered one last goodbye.


End file.
